


Radioactive Tragedy

by PrussianInAmerica



Series: An Empire Built on the Backs of the People it Tore Down [4]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Conditioning, F/M, Hux Redemption, Kylo Ren Redemption, M/M, Memories, Training, badly written lightsaber combat
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-08
Updated: 2016-04-08
Packaged: 2018-05-31 00:44:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6448717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrussianInAmerica/pseuds/PrussianInAmerica
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thirty years after the Battle of Endor, on a planet that might have become Starkiller in another life, Ben Solo faces his past for the last time.</p><p>EDIT 6/12/16: I'm an ass and everyone who follows anything I write should know that by now.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Radioactive Tragedy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is going to be an angstfest (for maximum angst, one should wait until the full story is posted and listen to Pentatonix and Lindsey Stirling's cover of Radioactive on repeat while reading. Or just do that chapter by chapter). I can't bring myself to be sorry, because I love it so much. So I am sorry that I am not sorry. I'm also sorry that I suck so much at writing combat.
> 
> (You can skip the rest of this unless you really want to know a ton of technical shit about Tamak'ine's fighting style and my writing process)
> 
> Tamak'ine fights with two lightsaber shotos, using a style that's a mix of Jar'Kai and Sinawali. I have no fighting experience of my own, so I've been leaning heavily on A) my ability to put off the inevitable, B) lots of research, and C) my dad's fighting experience. When he was younger he trained in three different martial arts (Taekwondo, Hepkido, and Judo) as well as boxing, plus he knows Star Wars inside and out (EU and the movies. He doesn't really watch TV, so Clone Wars and Rebels never caught his attention). It was his idea to incorporate Sinawali (which he studied briefly while learning Taekwondo), as well as to nix the cross guards I was going to add to Tamak'ine's shotos originally (the plan was for one of them to be Kylo's first saber, because what he uses as a Jedi is a more traditional blue, but with a special crystal that will be revealed later if I end up going that route). Basically, anything remotely technical in anything I write can be attributed to my dad's knowledge base. And independent research.
> 
>  
> 
> **Please let me know if you notice any mistakes or typos.**

The snow whipped around them, but Ben didn’t feel it. Tamak’ine probably hadn’t felt much of anything in years. They circled the clearing, staring each other down. The only light came from their sabers and this far into the woods the wind was the only noise, powering over all other sounds.

Tamak’ine adjusted the grip on their twin shotos, shifted their stance slightly. Ben pushed a harsh breath out, wincing as it tugged at the wound in his side.

“One last time.”

The Sith lunged and Ben fell back, raising his saber to defend himself.

* * *

Tama’s strikes kept getting through his defenses. They’d been training since dawn and Kylo was tired, sluggish. Couldn’t block fast enough. Tamak’ine didn’t let up, aiming a swing at his side when he raised an arm to wipe his brow.

“What do you think will happen to Hux if you can’t protect him?” The Sith taunted, easily sidestepping the boy’s clumsy counterattacks. “What will you do if you fail? If you find him, already too late?”

He redoubled his efforts, successfully knocking a short staff away from his abdomen before it connected, only to feel the second press against the side of his neck. Kylo huffed angrily. “You’ve got two weapons, Tama. It isn’t fair.”

“Do you think your enemies will care if a fight is fair? That they will line up and fight you one at a time?” A quick swipe to his knees had Kylo on the floor, glaring up at his mentor. “Hux will suffer if you cannot do something as simple as deflecting multiple weapons. He will die, and his blood will rest solely on _your_ hands, Ren.”

 _”Ren, can’t you even feed yourself? Kriff, get out of there,_ I’ll _make dinner.”_

_”Why do you let your hair get this long, Ren? You’re so careless. Do I need to do everything?”_

_”Look at the mess you’ve made. How do you manage so much destruction in so little time, Ren?”_

_”You were supposed to protect me, Ren.”_

It was suddenly the easiest thing he’d done all day. Just a little push. Tamak’ine was across the room and up a wall before they could defend against it. When Kylo lost the cold control and let go, they grinned.

“Good. Do it again.”

* * *

Every move made his side ache worse, every blow he nearly landed made something in him break a little, and every too close call made it break more.

_”They raised us.”_

_”They killed thousands!”_

Dozens of trees around them were marred, tracing the path they took from the clearing through the forest. Smaller limbs were sliced clean off with smoking wounds left in their wake.

_”They’ll kill you, too, given the chance.”_

Pressed up against a cold, unmarked trunk, Ben knew he couldn’t hold up much longer. He was tired, his body and soul hurt, and his limbs wouldn’t move the ways he wanted them to. It was enough of a struggle to keep Tamak’ine’s shotos at bay, and the heat of them was getting close to unbearable, this close to his face.

_”Protect me, Ben.”_

It wasn’t a strong push, but it was enough to get him out from under Tamak’ine’s weapons. Enough to put him back in the fight.

* * *

Ben Solo was ready for this, ready to take back the life he should have had, but Kylo Ren still clung to all he’d ever known, frightened of leaving all of it behind for something that went against everything he’d been taught.

He stalked through the halls with Hux at his side as he always did, uncertainty filled eyes hidden behind the mask he’d worn since he’d begun his training. At fifteen years old, he’d nearly caught up to Hux’ own impressive height and he was still growing; the two of them made an imposing pair that no one they passed dare speak to. In fact, it wasn't until they’d nearly made it to the hanger that anyone questioned why Lord Tamak’ine and Supreme Leader Snoke’s apprentices were out of their shared quarters this late.

A small group of stormtroopers blocked their path to the final hall. Six uniform troopers across, led by a trooper adorned with an orange pauldron.

“Lord Ren, Master Hux.” The squad leader bowed briefly to each of them. “We’ve been ordered to escort you back to your rooms. For your protection, sirs.”

“And why would we need protection?” Ben didn’t need to look at Hux to know his expression: cold impatience, best displayed in a sneer that might be mistaken for a smile from a distance. Unease washed over the troopers and each of them visibly shifted under the young man’s intense gaze. One or two of them resettled their weapons, which had Ben reaching for his.

“Supreme Leader’s orders, sir. We’re to take you back and guard the entrances.”

“Lord Ren and I have important business to complete tonight before we retire. Stand aside.”

“I’m sorry, sir.” They were all gripping their weapons in a way Ben thought they hoped looked menacing now. None of them looked like they’d seen much combat outside of training. These were probably some of the newest troopers, the ones the Order had trained from birth. No older than him.

"What are your orders should we resist?”

“Subdue or incapacitate.”

“Set to stun, then?” Hux asked, gesturing to their blasters. “Too bad Ren’s doesn’t have that function.” He was all talk. Ben wouldn’t kill them today. Following orders with no intention of harm definitely fell under their mutual agreement of “innocent”. But he could do menacing if that was what Hux wanted to go for.

The unstable saber felt wrong as he switched it on now. Snoke had seemed happy with him the first time Kylo showed it to him, but he could see now the cracked crystal would never hold up long-term. This would be the last time he used it.

A few troopers stepped back, instinctively putting more distance between themselves and the weapon. Others looked more determined than they had before.

“We’ll give you one last chance to come with us, sir.”

“And I’ll give you one last chance to step aside. Ren does get so tetchy without a good fight now and then.” Ben scraped the tip of the saber across the floor, scaring it. He wondered how much faith Hux really had in his abilities, how much he hoped to scare the troopers off before an actual fight began.

One of the troopers took a shot at Hux’s chest. Ben’s reaction time was shameful, only managing to stop the bolt a foot from the older boy. Throwing it back at the trooper before they can think to move, he shoves Hux behind him. The time for intimidation was over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm anticipating this will be three to four chapters, but I could be wrong. I know how it ends, and I know how the fight goes, but I want to have a lot of build up because I like to be dramatic. It could be years before the end of this is published, knowing me. I apologize a bunch if that's the case.
> 
>  **NEW!** I have a new tumblr just for my fic, including sneak peeks and me making excuses about why updates are late [here](http://ianwritesfics.tumblr.com/)!


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